AFC Telford United are playing hardball with Midlands neighbours Hednesford Town in a battle over the future of midfielder Elliott Durrell.

Bucks boss Andy Sinton is monitoring the 21-year-old, who has been a hit at Keys Park over the last two seasons with 24 goals for the Zamaretto League club.

Durrell trained with the Telford squad last night and is keen to return to his former club, where he arrived on the scene with a dramatic Setanta Shield winner against Solihull Moors back in October 2007.

But Hednesford are entitled to a fee for a player who also represented them at under-14s and under-15s level before first coming to Telford – and the Bucks are not prepared to increase their initial bid.

“We put an offer into Hednesford and they turned it down, that’s as far as it’s gone really,” Sinton revealed.

“He just wants to tick over in training and he doesn’t want to go back to Hednesford for reasons only he will be able to say.

“If something happens with us then great, but we’re not actively going to go back to Hednesford in the next couple of days with more – we made what we thought was a fair offer so it’s a bit of a stalemate.”

Meanwhile, Sinton revealed that defender Adam Dugdale – whose future has yet to be sorted out – had taken the opportunity to go on trial with a club in the league above.

Forward Steve Thompson may also be heading away from Telford, the Sunderland-based former Port Vale man having failed to train with the Bucks in the last week, despite an invitation from the manager.

“Steve hasn’t been at the last couple of sessions, I think he wants the guarantee of a contract,” said Sinton.

“I rate Steve as a player, he’s got a good pedigree and he’s been a pro but I’m not in a position at the moment to hang my hat and give him a contract.”